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Spraygraphic Interview with Artist David Ruhlman
By Spraygraphic | July 2, 2008
Spraygraphic Interview with David Ruhlman
SG: Please tell us about yourself?
DR: I am a self taught artist. I have recently decided to return to school. I am currently enrolled and taking printmaking classes so excited to see where that will take me. My father was in the military so I traveled a good bit as a child. I have been painting for the last 5 years. Before that I made a series of 40 handmade books and worked on as many pen and ink drawings. I try and paint daily or at least try and work on something.
SG: Where do you currently live and work?
DR: I live in Salt Lake City with my girlfriend. I do not have a studio. I have always painted in my house.
SG: What mediums do you work with?
DR: I work mainly in gouache on wood panel. I learned how to paint using gouache. I love using found materials. I recently made a painting using a dried wasp nest, carefully pulled apart and pasted. I also have a great fondness for old books and newspapers. Most of my paintings have newspaper or book pages as background.
SG: Describe your working process when creating a new work.
DR: I have never used canvas or an easel so my process might be a bit different. I lay the wood panel down on the floor and work lying on top of it. I try to work instinctively. An image or a title will come to me and then try and work things out in my head before I start. Sometimes I will paint an image without knowing what else is going on the board, part of the fun
SG: What kind of things do you do when you get blocked or find it hard to create something?
DR: I have been quite lucky always to have the next 2- 3 paintings in my head. But I enjoy reading artist biographies for ideas and of course art books.
SG: Where are you currently finding your inspiration?
DR: Music, books, films and Spring.
SG: Can you tell us a little about your piece, "The earth grows in each of us."
DR: The painting is part of a series. I was part of a group show and everyone had to do 4 paintings. The 4 paintings would include: feathers, fur, skin and scales. The idea for the paintings came as I was hiking. I was fascinated by the idea that the earth is made up of layers and layers of animals, plants, etc. Each layer built upon the last, and we each will make up a layer in the earth. I was also using the upside down pyramid as a design in quite a few paintings. The title came from an old hymn that I heard while visiting a Unitarian church, and was drawn to the sentence.
SG: Can you please tell us a little about your piece, "The Godhead."
DR: I find this piece quite funny. I have always loved and quoted Jean Dubuffet who wrote that "art should always make people laugh a little and frighten them a little. Anything but bore them. Art has no right to be boring." A friend knew that I love old books and newspaper and gave me 8 boxes of old Russian newspaper. I used the newspaper as the background. I was fascinated by this image of conjoined twins. So I painted the body and was going to paint the head but didn’t feel it fit. I waited a few days and came across a beautiful icon image of Christ. I painted the head on the conjoined twins and felt that it worked quite well. The three gods in one.
SG: Where has your work been seen?
DR: Mainly only in Utah, I have quite a few people who collect my work who live overseas or in New York. But I have been extremely lucky. My first show was at the Salt Lake Art Center which was fantastic and a huge boost. I also did an installation with my brother at the Pickle Company . I have shown at all of the places in the city that I wish to show at. Lately I have been trying to get my artwork shown nationally, which I am excited about.
SG: Where will it be seen next?
DR: I was just accepted to show at Finch Lane in Salt Lake City. It’s quite a respected local gallery which has had some great shows in the past. I have been working on some large and pretty great pieces. I am thrilled that they will be seen by the greater public. One of my paintings was also chosen for the cover of the literary/art magazine Versal . It’s a great magazine so I was thrilled. Other than that not much else, but plan on sending out proposals to quite a few places.
SG: What is your dream art assignment?
DR: To have a show at the Tate or Guggenheim or somewhere, and given years to fill it up will paintings and objects.
SG: What is your favorite color?
DR: Blue- not sure why. It’s a good color from what I hear.
SG: Who is your favorite artist? And Why?
DR: That’s a tough one. It always changes. But my top would be 1. Jean Dubuffet: for his writings, images and sense of humor. 2. Paul Klee: His color cannot be beat and his lyrical but slightly dark paintings. 3. Wallace Berman: Came across his work through the "Seminal Culture" book and found out the exhibit was coming through. Obsessed with him. It blew my mind- a magical being.
SG: What book/magazine are you reading this week?
DR: Read Harpers magazine weekly. Reading book about life/poetry of Antonin Artaud and "Wise Blood" by Flannery O’Conner.
SG: Ever do a self portrait? Where is it now?
DR: No, I titled one old oil pastel as a self portrait but it really wasn’t. Strangely I am thinking of painting a nude self portrait next. I painted a nude painting of my girlfriend that is part of a 3 part series and feel that an image of me would work well. Wish me luck.
SG: Where is your favorite place to hang out?
DR: At my house. Lovely place. Used to belong to a group of polygamists and was built in 1910. They built 4 smaller houses behind a large one. I live with my girlfriend in one of the smaller ones. Don’t hear any of the city sounds. I also love to hike and ride my bicycle around town or up in the mountains.
SG: Any final words of advice?
DR: I am paraphrasing Morton Feldman (the composer) who said that he did his best work when no one cared about his music. Don’t worry about fame and fortune or what is new and trendy. Paint or create on your own terms, for you and no one else.
ART: 1. Godhead, 2. If our souls were wooden the earth would be covered as a hobby horse, 3. Our secrets are our own, 4. The endcase of all love,Iris (open box), 5. The earth grows in each of us (fur), 6. The left hand of Edvard Munch is the right hand of god, 7. The mystery of divine androgyny (page 2)
Topics: Artist Interviews, Paintings |
